Impossible iPhone 5 concept we all want, ‘Rubberband Electronics’

In mere days, Apple will reveal the long-awaited iPhone 5 and put a stop to the endlessly entertaining guesswork leading up to its launch. So far we’ve had the obvious predictions like a bigger screen, longer battery life, and support for LTE. There’s also been talk of the iPhone losing its number system altogether. Similar to the new iPad, it would make sense for the next Apple smartphone to simply be named the new iPhone.

But this video by Aatma Studio shows us what the Cupertino company could do if it really wanted to push the limits of technology (and space and time). It imagines what would happen if Apple were able to thwart the basic rules of physics and uncover the hidden secrets of magic realism. The mock-up video (via AllThingsD) includes some admittedly awesome features that could potentially be built into the next iPhone like wireless charging (if Nokia can do it…), fingerprint scanning worthy of the CIA, and a Siri message center that would actually be useful. Around the minute mark, however, the video drops all pretence of being rooted in reality and teases us with a feature that would single handedly put Apple at the forefront of mobile devices forever. We won’t spoil it for you, but we will tell you it’s called “Rubberband Electronics” and it will never, ever happen. Never.

If you need to be comforted after seeing your dreams crushed, we’ve made a list that tackles some more realistic features Apple should introduce in the next iPhone to stay relevant and competitive in the marketplace. And, more importantly, to make the world want to spend some hard-eraned cash on it.